שִׁלְח֨וּ מִכֶּ֣ם אֶחָד֮ וְיִקַּ֣ח אֶת־אֲחִיכֶם֒ וְאַתֶּם֙ הֵאָ֣סְר֔וּ וְיִבָּֽחֲנוּ֙ דִּבְרֵיכֶ֔ם הַֽאֱמֶ֖ת אִתְּכֶ֑ם וְאִם־לֹ֕א חֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֔ה כִּ֥י מְרַגְּלִ֖ים אַתֶּֽם׃
Send one of you to bring your brother; the rest of you will be imprisoned, and your words will be tested to see if truth is with you. And if not, by the life of Par’o, surely you are spies!”
Morphology
- שִׁלְח֨וּ (shilchu) – Root: שָׁלַח (shalach); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperative, 2mp; Translation: “Send”; Notes: Direct command to the brothers.
- מִכֶּ֣ם (mikem) – Root: מִן (min); Form: Preposition “from” + 2mp suffix; Translation: “from among you”; Notes: Indicates selection from the group.
- אֶחָד֮ (echad) – Root: אֶחָד (echad); Form: Noun, ms; Translation: “one”; Notes: Refers to one individual from the group.
- וְיִקַּ֣ח (veyikach) – Root: לָקַח (lakach); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3ms with prefixed conjunction; Translation: “and let him bring”; Notes: Indicates the action of bringing the brother.
- אֶת־אֲחִיכֶם֒ (et-achikhem) – Root: אָח (ach); Form: Noun, ms with 2mp suffix; Translation: “your brother”; Notes: Object of the verb, referring to the brother of the group.
- וְאַתֶּם֙ (ve’atem) – Root: אַתֶּם (atem); Form: Pronoun, 2mp; Translation: “and you”; Notes: Subject of the command regarding the group.
- הֵאָ֣סְר֔וּ (he’asru) – Root: אָסַר (asar); Form: Verb, Nifal, Imperative, 2mp; Translation: “be imprisoned”; Notes: Command for the group to remain detained.
- וְיִבָּֽחֲנוּ֙ (veyibachanu) – Root: בָּחַן (bachan); Form: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, 3mp with prefixed conjunction; Translation: “and will be tested”; Notes: Refers to testing their honesty.
- דִּבְרֵיכֶ֔ם (divreikhem) – Root: דָּבָר (davar); Form: Noun, mp with 2mp suffix; Translation: “your words”; Notes: The words of the brothers under examination.
- הַֽאֱמֶ֖ת (ha’emet) – Root: אֱמֶת (emet); Form: Noun, fs with definite article; Translation: “the truth”; Notes: Refers to the veracity of their words.
- אִתְּכֶ֑ם (itkhem) – Root: אֵת (et); Form: Preposition “with” + 2mp suffix; Translation: “with you”; Notes: Indicates whether truth is among them.
- וְאִם־לֹ֕א (ve’im-lo) – Form: Conjunction + negation; Translation: “and if not”; Notes: Conditional phrase introducing the consequence.
- חֵ֣י (chei) – Root: חַי (chai); Form: Noun, ms construct; Translation: “by the life of”; Notes: Expression of oath.
- פַרְעֹ֔ה (Pharaoh) – Root: פַרְעֹה (Par’oh); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Pharaoh”; Notes: Refers to Pharaoh as the subject of the oath.
- כִּ֥י (ki) – Form: Conjunction; Translation: “surely”; Notes: Emphasizes certainty in the statement.
- מְרַגְּלִ֖ים (meraggelim) – Root: רָגַל (ragal); Form: Noun, mp; Translation: “spies”; Notes: Accusation directed at the brothers.
- אַתֶּֽם (atem) – Root: אַתֶּם (atem); Form: Pronoun, 2mp; Translation: “you”; Notes: Subject of the accusation.